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On November 16, United Way Emerald Coast’s Women United hosted a transformative EmpowHER Seminar at the Boys and Girls Club of South Walton. Presented by Eglin Federal Credit Union, the event provided local teens with essential mental health resources, empowering educational tools, and a supportive community to foster self-confidence and resilience.

Designed to address the growing need for mental health support across Okaloosa and Walton counties, the seminar featured interactive workshops facilitated by dedicated partner organizations, each volunteering time and expertise to support young attendees. These workshops offered a safe space for teens to connect, share, and gain practical mental health resources.

Emerald Coast Science Center led a session where girls screen-printed their own t-shirts, encouraging creativity and self-expression. Pure & Couture Salon brought stylists to host a braid bar, offering students the opportunity to leave with boosted confidence and a renewed sense of self. Additionally, a yoga session taught attendees relaxation techniques and mindfulness practices to help manage stress.

“Eglin Federal Credit Union is proud to partner with United Way Emerald Coast to present this sold-out event, which provides a positive environment for local teens,” said SVP Membership and Community Development Neko Stubblefield. “Our goal is to uplift the communities in which we live and work. We see tremendous value in providing tools and resources to empower teens in Walton County.”

Attendee surveys revealed that 76.5% of participants experienced increased confidence and self-esteem, highlighting the impact of the EmpowHER Seminar in fostering mental wellness and community for teens in Walton County.

This spring, in celebration of International Women’s Day, Women United will host its annual “Brunch & Bubbly” fundraiser on March 8 at Home2 Suites by Hilton, presented by Eglin Federal Credit Union. This event, open to all community members, promises an inspiring gathering with proceeds supporting Women United’s mission. 

About Women United

Women United is a philanthropic initiative within United Way Emerald Coast, dedicated to improving access to mental health resources, education, and support for women and girls in Okaloosa and Walton Counties. To learn more about their initiatives or join their efforts, visit www.united-way.org/womenunited.

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Register for Spring Term Now at Emerald Coast Technical College’s South Campus in Watersound

Emerald Coast Technical College’s new South campus located at the Magnet Innovation Center – Watersound continues to grow and expand.  The Watersound campus is in the middle of its second full year, currently offering two programs, with a third program beginning the first of the year.  The Spring term begins January 9 and enrollment is now open for courses at ECTC-Watersound as well as programs offered at the main campus.

One exciting part is that for a limited time,  programs at the Watersound campus, the programs are offered tuition free. The tuition portion of the program is being covered by the Triumph Grant, and other grants are also being used to cover any additional costs to students. This means you could obtain an industry certification for free or at least with very little cost!!

One of the programs available is Applied Information Technology (A.I.T.), where students receive the CompTIA A+ certification. The A+ Certification is a technology industry standard and is in high demand with I.T. business owners who are looking for prospective employees. The A.I.T. program instructor, Dave Duvall, has had great success with the program with a 100% completion rate, with all the currently enrolled students on track to be certified this spring. All students who have previously obtained the A+ certification through the program have been employed in the local I.T. business community or are continuing their education at the E.C.T.C. main campus.

The Watersound Campus of E.C.T.C. also offers a Patient Care Technician program, and in January will be offering a Practical Nursing program, with other programs in the works to open in the future.

All programs are open to adult learners ages 16 and up and are also available for dual enrollment to students from our district high schools. More information is available at ectc.edu or you can contact I.T. Instructor Dave Duvall directly at (850) 557-2804 or glen.duvall@walton.k12.fl.us

ECTC – Watersound is located at 133 S. Watersound Parkway on the campus of the Magnet Innovation Center – right across Hwy. 98 from the Watersound Town Center.

Don’t miss out on the fantastic opportunity, enrollment for the Spring term, which begins Jan 9 is now open with several schedule options available.

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Chair Yoga Classes at the Blake in Miramar Beach– Tuesdays, December 3, 17 and January 7 at 9:45 a.m. at the Blake, 90 Ponce De Leon St. in Miramar Beach.  RSVP at (850) 650-5000 to register.

Monthly Meeting  – Friday, December 20th from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Christmas Potluck Luncheon and Cookie Swap at 70 Logan Lane in Grayton Beach. Bring your favorite covered dish. If you would like to participate in the cookie swap please bring one dozen cookies.  R.S.V.P. by calling (850) 280-5342 or email: coastalseniorsofsouthwalton@gmail.com.

Exercise Classes – Angela Gibson will lead classes on Tuesdays, December 3, 10, 17, 31 and January 7 at 10 a.m. and on Thursdays, December 5, 12, 19, and January 9 at 10 a.m., at 70 Logan Lane in Grayton Beach.  Cost is $5 per session. Reservations suggested.  Call (850) 280-5342 or email:  coastalseniorsofsouthwalton@gmail.com.

Art Classes – Watercolor Painting Class – Karen Peterson will teach classes on Fridays, December 6, 13, and January 3 from 8:45 a.m. to noon. Classes are held at 70 Logan Lane in Grayton Beach.  The cost is $15 for CSSW members and $30 for non-members. Space is limited so call (850) 280-5342 to reserve your spot, or email: coastalseniorsofsouthwalton@gmail.com.  All supplies are included.

Pickleball  – Beginner Pickleball 101 at Walton Sports Complex courts on Wednesday, December 18 at 6 p.m.  Registration required.  Register at www.waltonrec.com. Open to Walton County residents only. Email Sandy Gulak at sowalpickleball@gmail.com for more info and with questions.  Also join us at the Boys and Girls Club on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through December 19. Will resume in late January. Cost is $5 per day and an initial $35 waiver fee.  Please join the SoWal 30A Pickleball Association on Facebook for more information and weekly updates and check the CSSW calendar at www.coastalseniorsofsouthwalton.org.

Seniors 50 years of age and up residing in or visiting Walton County are invited to join CSSW. Membership is $30 for individuals, $40 for family, and $75 for businesses (your business will be listed on our home webpage and our Facebook page). You can become a member via email at coastalseniorsofsouthwalton@gmail.com, or on the website at www.coastalseniorsofsouthwalton.org. Also, follow us on Facebook at Coastal Seniors of South Walton.  Coastal Seniors of South Walton, Inc. is a non-profit 501© (3) organization for active adults and we are looking for dedicated, enthusiastic persons to join our Board of Directors. Media Contact:  Jim Wilson, Director, Coastal Seniors of South Walton, Inc.   T: 404-432-6037   Email: jim_wilson@bellsouth.net

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The fifth edition of the 30A BBQ Festival, presented by 360 Blue, raised a record-breaking $103,228 for The Sonder Project.

The sold-out, annual event took place on Friday, November 8 at Grand Boulevard at Sandestin®, featuring 14 regional and local restaurants and catering companies, each competing for the title of “Best BBQ” chosen by the 800 guests in attendance. Participants included 3 Sons BBQ, Back Beach Barbecue, Camp Creek Inn, Cinders and Salt, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, Evie Mae’s Barbecue, Harry T’s, Local Smoke at The Big Chill, Marrow Private Chefs, The Perfect Pig, Sons of Amvets Post 29, Swiftly Catered, Uncle KU’s BarbeKU, and Vin’tij Food and Wine. After enjoying unlimited samples of signature barbecue, sponsored by Barker Williams and Shoreline Title, the following winners were chosen:

1st Place People’s Choice Award: Evie Mae’s Pit BBQ

2nd Place People’s Choice Award: Uncle KU’s BarbeKU

3rd Place People’s Choice Award: Vin’tij Food and Wine

A panel of judges also sampled the signature barbecue and chose their favorite overall “Judge’s Choice” winner:

Judge’s Choice Award: 3 Sons Bar-B-Q

Upon entry through the Carrot Top Designs Welcome Lounge, guests were greeted with a lawn filled with barbecue, live music from River Dan, a commemorative photo booth, sponsored by Esteem Wealth Partners, and complimentary seating provided by Jake’s Beach Service. In between bites of succulent barbecue, guests sipped on complimentary beer from Grayton Beer Company, who donated over 100 cases of beer, along with wine and water, courtesy of Grand Boulevard Arts and Entertainment. As each guest exited the festival, they were also gifted a complimentary grill kit, courtesy of 360 Blue.

The festival also showcased an extensive silent auction featuring a variety of items donated by community partners, including vacation stays, gift cards, gift baskets, jewelry, and much more. All proceeds raised from the silent auction, along with ticket sales and donations, went directly to The Sonder Project to support their mission to empower impoverished communities through high-impact, sustainable development by providing access to clean water, education, and sustainable agriculture. The $103,288 raised will make a huge impact and help The Sonder Project provide clean water for over 1,500 people, support 200 students living in extreme poverty to attend high school, provide food security and economic opportunity for 245 farmers, and much more.

“We are so grateful for the support of the South Walton community to help us empower communities and improve lives in Sub-Saharan Africa. It takes a village, and this village is strong. We can’t wait for next year,” Zibelman said.

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One of the programs hosted by the Walton County Extension Office on Hwy. 83 is the popular 4-H Club. The mission of 4-H is to assist young people and the adults working with them, to gain additional knowledge, life skills, and attitudes that will further their development as responsible, contributing, and productive members of society.

Nicole Crawson, Walton County 4-H Agent with the University of Florida since 2021, said that any child aged 5 – 18 “belongs in 4-H. They should really be in 4-H. I am a huge advocate of it because we teach life skills, we teach social skills. The things that we learned when we were in school, some of the teachers are overburdened and don’t have time to teach it in the school system now – so, we teach it” she said.

“We teach a lot of leadership skills, like with this group, the teen council, they do leadership, community service – but we also teach them social skills, like how to work with each other, how to introduce themselves, shake hands correctly, how to apply for a job, what to wear at a job. It’s important that the kids in the community know that we’re here and that we’re available. We teach everything from sewing to cooking to archery – I tell the kids, ‘If you can dream it – and it’s within policy – we’re going to try it because we want to find their spark.”

Crawson said they try to use as many guest speakers as possible.  At Wednesday’s meeting of the club, students received a lesson on the proper ways to treat, handle and fold the American Flag from Walton County Veterans Services Director Wade Wilmoth. Crawson said that, because of Veterans Day, she wondered how many of her kids knew how to fold a flag properly. “This is a perfect opportunity. We’re honoring our veterans, and we need to know how to fold a flag, so I reached out to Wade and he agreed to come today and teach everyone.”

Crawson said joining 4-H is a simple process. Students can enroll online year-round, with parental consent. From age 5 – 7, the program is free. From age 8 – 18, there is a $20 membership fee and scholarships are available.

There are 14 4-H Clubs in Walton County, with over 300 members and plenty of volunteers.

For more information, contact Nicole Crawson at the Walton County Extension Office, (850) 892-8172.

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